With Parker Out, No Super Bowl This Year for Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a great 2007 NFL season, and aspired to not only make it to the playoffs, but become a serious contender in the AFC Championship hunt. The players donning the gold and black uniforms dreamt of a Super Bowl season.

With one carry against the St. Louis Rams, their chances completely evaporated. Without Willie Parker able to run the football, it just won't happen this season for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"Fast" Willie Parker has truly had an amazing season. He is leading the NFL in rushing yards, with 1,316 accounted for on the ground, as well as rushing attempts per game. He has had twelve runs of 20 yards or more.

Even though his touchdown total has been incredibly low, with only two touchdowns scored on the season, the Pittsburgh Steelers will not be able to thrive in the playoffs without his reliable, consistent, workhorse-like performance. Parker is an elite NFL running back even without the scores, and the backups that are behind him simply cannot sustain the impact that he has had on his club.

One of the backups, RB Najeh Davenport, looks like a poor mans Jerome Bettis. With an powerful between-the-tackles approach, Davenport looks to be best suited in a third down or short yardage role. He has never been the featured back on any of the teams he has played for. At the University of Miami, his alma mater, he was one of the best all-around fullbacks ever to play there. Though he is capable of having a solid game against a mediocre rush defense (for instance, the St. Louis Rams victory tonight), he can be inconsistent at times. One bad game from a featured Davenport will spell the end for the Steelers, and unfortunately, with top competition coming up in the playoffs, Najeh is bound to have at least one off game.

All hope is not lost, as Davenport has another running back/full back player in Carey Davis. Davis has not gotten a lot of playing time this season, but he will be relied upon to help Davenport shoulder the load that Willie Parker cannot fill. Davis looks to be a bigger, more physical version of Davenport, with slightly less speed. He originally began his tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers as a fullback, but has turned into a hybrid player out of the backfield, allowing for rushing and blocking flexibility. He is reliable in a third down/short yardage role, but he is far from a featured back.

If the Pittsburgh Steelers can find some way to utilize these two backs in a highly effective manner, they have a chance at making a serious statement in the NFL playoffs. As it stands now, however, look for the Steelers to make an early exit from the 2008 playoff games. Without a solid smash-mouth rushing attack, the passing game will struggle, and Roethlisberger will not be put in a great position to make plays. With a little bit of luck, the Steelers could surprise some people, but more likely than not, they will have to wait another year in pursuit of a Super Bowl Championship.